FWCM 08: Karjakin strikes the first blow

by Sagar Shah - 22/11/2016

After seven consecutive draws, we finally had a decisive game! The Challenger won game eight and now leads the match with a score of 4.5-3.5. It was an extremely poor show by the World Champion who shunned many drawing opportunities, even came back from a lost position, but eventually had to bite the dust because of his complete lack of objectivity. Sergey Karjakin has played solid chess and thoroughly deserves this victory. We analyze the game and bring to you the key moments explained in didactic and lucid style.

Pictures by Albert Silver

FWCM 08: The curse of lack of objectivity

I remember a game that I played in the Dubai Open 2015. My opponent, (say Mr.X), was was rated nearly 250 points below me. I studied his games before the encounter and realized that this was his first tournament after 11 years. Mr.X was playing not so strong chess and I had made up my mind that come what may I must beat him at all costs. When the game began I was really confident and played quickly. Mr.X was upto the task and soon I was staring at two options: play risky chess or just go for an equal position with low chances to win. Of course, I chose the former. I don't know what happened that day, but my opponent found all the resources and took over the advantage. Mr. X was noticeably nervous and offered me a draw in a winning position. My logical brain shouted me to take the draw, after all I was losing, but my emotions shouted, "He is under time pressure, let's try to fool him!" I played on and after a few accurate moves by Mr. X I realized that I had simply nothing to play for. I resigned the game and had to talk the long walk back home.

What really happened above, was that I was so engrossed in playing against my opponent that I didn't even look at the position in front of me! In chess being objective is a huge positive quality. You must know what your position is capable of. You might want to win at all costs, but if the pieces on the board cannot fulfill that it might be the best to just accept the draw and start the next game afresh.

Usually this lack of objectivity is not seen in top players. That's the reason why they are on top! However, there come moments when the right hemisphere of the brain takes over and doesn't listen to the logical arguments of the left brain.

This is exactly what happened to Magnus Carlsen in the eighth game. After reaching an equal position out of the opening and the middlegame the World Champion had many opportunities to force the draw. But he wanted to win. He gave up two pawns and was just losing. But Karjakin blundered in time pressure as well and now the game was just drawn. The forty moves had been reached and it made sense to calmly take stock of things. Magnus continued playing for a win and in the end had to bite the dust. Karjakin won the game and now leads the Match with a score of 4.5-3.5.

Key positions of Game eight

When was the last time that the Colle was played in the World Championship Match?!

An excellent decision by Karjakin was not to develop his knight from b8. He kept his options open and in the end the pony was quite well placed on d7.

In this equal middlegame position, Karjakin found the strong plan of getting his knight to g6 via f8.

Taking the rook back on c4 was possible with the bishop. However Magnus chose to take it with the pawn. This according to me was already a step in the dangerous direction of playing unobjectively, because the pawn on c4 had become weak and the c5 square was the perfect outpost for the black knight.

Taking on d7 was clearly possible. It would have led to an equal position. However, Magnus didn't like his chances and played h3. This allowed Black to take over the initiative with ...Nc5!

35.c5 looked like a smart move by Magnus. If the queen takes then the knight on a4 is hanging. And if the knight takes on c5, then Rxf8 followed by picking up the f6 knight. However, Sergey just took on d8 and then ...Nxc5 and he was already two pawns up!

The dramatic time control around the move forty mark

Two pawns up! It was time to take home the full point...

...but Sergey blundered big time with 38...Qd3? Can you see the trick?

Of course 39.Nxe6+!

The material balance had been restored, but the position was clearly drawn. White didn't have resources to mate the black king and the a-pawn is just too strong. It was surely logical to give a perpetual check and prepare for the next game. But Carlsen didn't give up his attempts to win.

Karjakin is not a guy that you mess with! He regrouped his pieces, pushed his a-pawn and forced Magnus to resign. The obvious 53.Qxa2 loses to 53...Ng4+ 54.Kh3 Qg1! 0-1.

With sheer determination and never say die spirit, Sergey Karjakin has taken the lead in the match. 4.5-3.5.

Magnus waited for Karjakin to arrive in the press conference for two minutes. The Challenger was surrounded by journalists outside the press conference room. Irritated at being kept waiting Magnus left in a hurry.

The Norwegian TV is thoroughly devastated

As we go into the rest day, it will be thoroughly interesting to see what Magnus will come up with in game nine. Four games to go. Will we have a new World Champion?

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